Analyzing US-Africa Relations in the Trump Era: Change and Continuity

Tuncay Kardaş

Article Details

Analyzing US-Africa Relations in the Trump Era: Change and Continuity

Authors:

Tuncay Kardaş

Publisher:

Sakarya University

Main Topics:

Afrika Çalışmaları

Journal:

Turkish Journal of African Studies Vol.2 Issue 1, pp.48-66

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001345787

pISSN:

3062-1909

Keywords:

Abstract:

 This article aims to reveal the parameters of the United States US relations with the African continent in the Trump era. The two main dynamics determining the US policy towards Africa in this period can be summarized as follows: a the foreign policy formation process specific to the Trump administration and b the lack of US strategic engagement in the context of the growing great power competition on the continent. In this context, the decline of the US political influence in African countries is a result of both the Trump administrations nationalist and anti-globalization ideological approaches and the fact that great powers such as China and Russia have bypassed the US and the Western bloc through different instruments. As a result of all these factors, Trump-era Africa policy has resulted in unilateralism, strategic irrelevance and falling behind in great power competition.

 This article aims to reveal the parameters of the United States US relations with the African continent in the Trump era. The two main dynamics determining the US policy towards Africa in this period can be summarized as follows: a the foreign policy formation process specific to the Trump administration and b the lack of US strategic engagement in the context of the growing great power competition on the continent. In this context, the decline of the US political influence in African countries is a result of both the Trump administrations nationalist and anti-globalization ideological approaches and the fact that great powers such as China and Russia have bypassed the US and the Western bloc through different instruments. As a result of all these factors, Trump-era Africa policy has resulted in unilateralism, strategic irrelevance and falling behind in great power competition.

 This article aims to reveal the parameters of the United States US relations with the African continent in the Trump era. The two main dynamics determining the US policy towards Africa in this period can be summarized as follows: a the foreign policy formation process specific to the Trump administration and b the lack of US strategic engagement in the context of the growing great power competition on the continent. In this context, the decline of the US political influence in African countries is a result of both the Trump administrations nationalist and anti-globalization ideological approaches and the fact that great powers such as China and Russia have bypassed the US and the Western bloc through different instruments. As a result of all these factors, Trump-era Africa policy has resulted in unilateralism, strategic irrelevance and falling behind in great power competition.

 Bu makale, Trump döneminde Amerika Birleşik Devletlerinin ABD Afrika kıtası ile ilişkilerinin hangi parametrelerle şekillendiğini ortaya koyma amacı taşımaktadır. Bu dönemde ABDnin Afrika politikasını belirleyen iki temel dinamik şu şekilde özetlenebilir; a Trump yönetimine özgü dış politika oluşum süreci ve b kıtada giderek artan büyük güç rekabeti bağlamında ABDnin stratejik angajman eksikliği. Bu bağlamda, ABDnin Afrika ülkelerindeki siyasi etkisinin azalması hem Trump yönetiminin milliyetçi ve küreselleşme karşıtı ideolojik yaklaşımlarının hem de Çin ve Rusya gibi büyük güçlerin farklı enstrümanlarla ABD ve Batı bloğunu devre dışı bırakması neticesinde ortaya çıkmıştır. Tüm bu unsurlar sonucunda Trump dönemi Afrika politikası tek taraflılık, stratejik ilgisizlik ve büyük güç rekabetinde geride kalmakla sonuçlanmıştır.

Article Details

Analyzing US-Africa Relations in the Trump Era: Change and Continuity

Authors:

Tuncay Kardaş

Publisher:

Sakarya University

Main Topics:

Afrika Çalışmaları

Journal:

Turkish Journal of African Studies Vol.2 Issue 1, pp.48-66

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001345787

pISSN:

3062-1909

US-Africa Relations

Trump Administration

Foreign Policy

Great Power Competition

China and Russia in AfricaABD-Afrika İlişkileri

Trump Yönetimi

Dış Politika

Büyük Güç Rekabeti

Afrika’da Çin ve Rusya

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Tuncay Kardaş

Publisher: Sakarya University

Main Topics: Afrika Çalışmaları

Journal: Turkish Journal of African Studies Vol.2 Issue 1, pp.48-66

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 4/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001345787

pISSN: 3062-1909

Issues

Authors:

Tuncay Kardaş

Publisher:

Sakarya University

Main Topics:

Afrika Çalışmaları

Journal:

Turkish Journal of African Studies Vol.2 Issue 1, pp.48-66

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001345787

pISSN:

3062-1909